CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION

In developed countries the flow of labor from areas of low marginal productivity to high
marginal productivity is normal and is accepted as an ingredient for development by raising labor
efficiency at both ends, i.e. places of origin as well as destinations. On this ground, Oberai
(1987) thinks that the rural-urban migration is a population movement from relatively low
income rural activities to higher income industrial and service sector so that the level of income
of migrants can be increased. Therefore, it is considered as generating various benefits to the
migrants.
Contrary to this, migration particularly in the push stream of movement is found to be the major
bottleneck for development in both receiving urban and departing rural areas in developing
nations. This is because most of urban areas of less developed nations are ineffectively urbanized
and hence are not found to have the capacity to fruitfully absorb the rural migrants in gainful
jobs, neither to provide housing or various other social services and amenities. Thus, they have
limited pull situation but still are perceived by the rural migrants as powerful magnets. The high
rate of overcrowding and unemployment is increasingly causing several social, psycho-social,
cultural, political and economic problems in the towns, making them quite unstable social
organizations in perpetual tension and stress. In spite of this frustrating state of affairs, the
movement of people continues unabatedly to urban areas due to the perceived, though false
expectation of better living and working conditions in urban areas.

6.2.1 Current Occupational Status of Migrants

One among the interests of migrants of urban center is to participate in the urban labor force.
However, participation into urban labor force again depends on different factors like level of
education, presence of relatives, skills and so forth. Thus, examining the current occupational
status of migrants is important to assess the impact of migration on individual migrants as well at
destination area. The data presented in Table 6.3 reveal that greater about 61 percent were
employed whereas 18.6 percent of the migrants were unemployed at the time of the survey
period. This may imply that employment rate was higher among migrants and highly competed
the job opportunity of non-migrants. Such migration of working force means loss of agricultural
labour force in the rural areas which may lead reduction of agricultural production. The other
effect of migration in the areas of origin is its impact on labor distribution creating labour
imbalances particularly in the rural areas. As a result, agricultural production can be hampered
and adversely affected because of dominance of labour by old aged, children and female
population in the rural areas.
As to the type of employment, about 50.8 percent were found to be self employed during the
survey period. This is true in Africa where the bulk of new entrants to the urban labour force
seemed to create their own employment (Todaro, 1997). Relatively more migrants (19.3 percent)
were employed in government organization. The data in Table 13 further indicates that about 58
percent of the migrants were engaged in permanent jobs because most of the migrants are
employed in self employment, government organization or private organization.

Table 6.3: Current Occupational Status and Nature of Employment of Migrants

Response Migrants
No %
employed 73 61
unemployed 22 18.6
Occupational Status Trainee/student 2 1.4
Sick/disabled 2 1.6
pensioned 9 7.4
House wives 7 6.2
others 5 3.8
total 120 100
Self employed 55 50.8
Type of Employment
Employed in private 59 19.3
organization

Government 50 16.4
employee

Employer 27 8.9

others 14 4.6
Total 305 100

Permanent 176 57.7

Nature of
 Employment Temporary 89 29.2

Seasonal 16 5.2

Causal 24 7.9

Total 305 100

(Source: Field Survey, 2009)

Thus, the cumulative effect of flow of labour force with such magnitude (rates) at the destination
area is that they create pressure on the existing job opportunity by jeopardizing non-migrants
opportunity to get job easily.

6.2.2 Current Educational Level of Migrants

Different studies of migration point out that the search for education and training is one of the
reasons for rural out migration. Thus, assessing the educational level of migrants at their
destination area is important. During the survey period, migrants were asked about their current
educational level. As we have seen in chapter four, majority of the respondents (69 percent) had
primary and above educational level when they in-migrated to Woldiya. However, after their
migration to Woldiya the literacy rate of migrants had increased to 86 percent. This shows that
migration involves not only selection of educated persons from their origin but also improves the
educational level of migrants at their urban destination. This may be because in Woldiya there
are different training and educational institution that in turn creates opportunities for the migrants
to upgrade education and training levels in these institutions of their destination than in their
birth place.
6.2.3 Current Income Level of Migrants
One of the economic characteristics of a migrant is income. An attempt was made to examine the
current income level of migrants although there was problem of getting correct income data of
individuals. According to Table 6.4, most migrants (41 percent) earn an average income level of
less than 100 birr per-month. Similarly, about 23.6 and 18.2 percent of migrants earn monthly
income of 100-500 birr and 500-1000 birr respectively. This could be because they may engage
indifferent self employed small scale activities that enable them to earn average monthly income.
Table 6.4: Distribution of Migrants by Monthly Average Income

(Source: Field Survey, 2009) The significant impact of rural-urban migration upon the places of
origin is the role of out migrants to influence the rural income through remittance. During the
group discussion and personal interview participants stated that though the amount of money
remitted happened to be of very low they are in a position to remit certain amount of money to
their places of origin. They reported that their remitted money was used as an ingredient in
agriculture, purchasing of consumption items and other livelihood activities. In fact, most of the
migrants‟ live hand to mouth situation indeed. Because of high costs of living in Woldiya, they
have no sufficient amount of money to sustain themselves.

6.3 Access to Housing and Urban Facilities

As it is commonly known, migration has depopulating effects in home areas and overcrowding at
destination areas thereby adversely affecting, at least temporarily, the existing socio-economic
systems in both areas. In particular the problem of pressure on limited urban housing and urban
services and resources is intense and more severe in many poorly endowed and fledgling towns
like Woldiya.
One among many problems that are associated with urbanization is the inadequacy of urban
housing. That means, the rate of supply of housing did not go with pace of the growing minimum
potential demand for housing in different urban areas. In this regard, an attempt was made by
arranging group discussions and interviews with the migrants and officials of the municipality of
Woldiya. They stated that Woldiya has been facing chronic problems of housing and shortage of
other urban facilities. The migrants reported that they are living in rented houses which have no
private separate kitchen so that food is cooked out of doors or in the main house. The houses also
have no toilet and bathing facilities. They are living in crowded condition of one or two room
that was inadequate for their families. Even though the government constructs condominium
houses, they could not either afford or get the opportunity to buy them. In relative term, the
supply and distribution of electricity and water is good.